Diabetes and Wound Care

Patients with diabetes are at risk of complications, including slow wound healing. Talk to your doctor if you have signs or symptoms of diabetic wounds. Wounds need to be treated as soon as possible to avoid serious health problems.

What are diabetic wounds?

Diabetes affects the way the body processes glucose. Abnormally high blood glucose levels are associated with serious complications, including diabetic wounds. Diabetic wounds can be caused by:

Nerve damage (neuropathy)

Weakened immune system

Narrow arteries

Diabetic wound signs and symptoms

People with diabetic wounds may have the following signs or symptoms:

Chronic pain or no pain at all

Inflammation and redness

Pus drainage (weeping wound)

Bad odor coming from the wound

Dead tissue around the wound

Numbness and dullness

Fever and/or chills

Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing signs and/or symptoms associated with diabetic wounds.

Diabetes wound complications

Wounds need to be treated as soon as possible to avoid serious health problems. Some complications include:

Foot injury

Infections

Ulcers

Damage to nerves and bone

Poor blood flow

Wounds that become serious may cause so much damage to tissue and bone that amputation is necessary. It is important to care for a wound immediately before amputation becomes the only option.

Research shows that ulcers often appear as the wound becomes very serious, requiring a lower limb amputation. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing problems with your diabetic wounds not healing.

Diabetic wound treatment

The best treatment is prevention, since medical treatment for diabetic wounds provides limited help. To prevent diabetic wounds you should:

Keep your diabetes well controlled with diet, exercise, and medications

Inspect the skin every day to look for developing wounds (or have a family member do it)

Wear well fitting shoes that do not cause “pressure points”; do not wear shoes or socks that are too tight

Avoid walking barefoot

Keep nails carefully trimmed

Keep the skin clean and dry

Regularly see a podiatrist or have your primary doctor do a regular foot exam

Get early medical care for any injuries that do not seem to be healing as they should

If a wound occurs, treatment can include:

Keeping all wounds clean and properly dressed

Antibiotics

Surgical debridement (removal) of dead or infected tissue

Referral to a podiatrist or a wound care center

Surgery for limb amputation when there is a serious infection

Taking Care of Your Feet

Learn the basics of taking steps to care for your feet when you have diabetes.